Rick Perry chats with Mizzou College Republicans member John Soper (The Missourian photo)

Two former Republican presidential candidates were stumping in Missouri yesterday. But while former House Speaker Newt Gingrich made national headlines by campaigning for GOP pariah Todd Akin, Texas Gov. Rick Perry was hundreds of miles away, doing his best to elect a less controversial conservative as state attorney general.

“I need a partner,” Perry said at a news conference, according to the Missourian. “I need an attorney general in Missouri who will partner with the attorney general in Texas … and push back on the federal government.”

Perry cited health care, education and the environment as areas in which he wants to challenge federal involvement.

Attorney General Chris Koster, a Democrat seeking re-election, chose not to join a lawsuit filed by Texas and about half of the states challenging the law formally called the Affordable Care Act and generally known as Obamacare. Martin, a one-time chief of staff to former Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt, has pledged he will “take on Obamacare” from his “first minute” in office.

He praised Perry for challenging the federal government on issues including healthcare, the environment and school reform.

Newt Gingrich got more national headlines by raising money for the pariah of the national GOP, Todd Akin. (AP photo)

The University of Missouri, like Perry’s alma mater, Texas A&M, is a new member of college football’s Southeastern Conference (SEC). So Perry’s trip afforded him the added benefit of checking out restaurants and hotels for a future Aggie road trip.

More good news for the guv: He escaped without commenting about Akin, the Missouri Senate candidate whose controversial campaign has been disavowed by Republicans ranging from Mitt Romney to John Cornyn to Karl Rove.